Overview
Families have filed federal lawsuits alleging that Roblox, and in some cases Discord and Snap, enabled child sexual exploitation. In December 2025, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation combined these cases into a single coordinated proceeding in the Northern District of California. The litigation is ongoing, and no court has ruled on the merits of the allegations. Roblox denies the claims.[1]
December 2025: Cases Combined Into MDL
On December 12, 2025, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation ordered that federal lawsuits alleging Roblox enabled child sexual exploitation be consolidated into MDL No. 3166 in the Northern District of California. The panel assigned the cases to Chief Judge Richard Seeborg. At the time of consolidation, 80 cases were included. Some of the lawsuits also name Discord and Snap as defendants. Roblox has denied the allegations.[1]
A multidistrict litigation, or MDL, is a procedure used in federal court to handle many similar cases more efficiently. When lawsuits making related claims are filed in different federal districts around the country, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation can transfer them to a single judge for coordinated pretrial proceedings. This allows the parties to share discovery, avoid duplicative motions, and prepare test cases for trial. Each case remains separate, but pretrial work is handled together.
February 2026: Leadership Appointed
On February 17, 2026, Judge Seeborg appointed plaintiffs' leadership counsel and defendants' liaison counsel in the MDL. These appointments are standard in coordinated litigation and allow the court to work with a smaller group of attorneys who coordinate strategy and filings on behalf of all parties.[2]
April 2026: Special Master Appointed for Settlement Talks
In April 2026, Judge Seeborg appointed a special master to assist with settlement discussions in the MDL. The exact date of the appointment has not been confirmed in the record we track. A special master is a neutral person, often a retired judge or experienced attorney, appointed by the court to help parties negotiate or to handle specific tasks in complex litigation. As of the time of the appointment, no settlement had been announced.[3]
August 2026: Case Count and Bellwether Complaints
On August 3, 2026, bellwether complaints were filed in the MDL. At that time, 177 lawsuits were pending in the coordinated proceeding.[4]
Bellwether cases are a small number of cases selected to go through full preparation and, if necessary, trial while the rest of the litigation is paused. The results of these test cases help the parties and the court understand how juries may respond to the evidence and legal arguments, and often inform settlement negotiations. Bellwether cases do not bind the other cases, but they provide information that can shape the direction of the overall litigation.
Parallel Developments
A U.S. Senate investigation has ordered Roblox to produce documents related to child safety. This investigation is separate from the court proceedings.[4]
On August 28, 2026, three U.S. senators filed a brief with the California Court of Appeal urging the court to prevent Roblox and Discord from forcing child exploitation lawsuits into private arbitration. This filing relates to state court proceedings in California and involves the question of whether the companies can require families to resolve their claims through arbitration rather than in court.[5]
Arbitration is a private dispute resolution process in which the parties present their case to a neutral arbitrator instead of a judge or jury. Many companies include arbitration clauses in their terms of service, requiring users to resolve disputes outside of court. Whether such clauses are enforceable in cases involving minors is a legal question that courts decide based on the specific facts and applicable law.
What Is Not Known Yet
The record we track does not show that any settlement has been reached in the MDL. No trial date has been set for the bellwether cases or any other cases in the coordinated proceeding. The court has not issued any ruling on the merits of the allegations against Roblox, Discord, or Snap. The outcome of the California appellate court proceedings on arbitration has not been reported in the record we track. The status of the Senate investigation and whether any findings have been released is not confirmed in the litigation record.
Where Things Stand
As of the most recent information in the record, 177 lawsuits are pending in MDL No. 3166 before Judge Seeborg in the Northern District of California. Bellwether complaints have been filed, and a special master has been appointed to assist with settlement discussions. The litigation remains in pretrial proceedings. No court has ruled on whether the platforms are liable for the harms alleged, and the defendants deny the claims.
Sources
- In re Roblox Corporation Child Sexual Exploitation and Assault Litigation, MDL No. 3166 (N.D. Cal.) (2025-12-12). Secondary report: pbglaw.com
- MDL No. 3166 (N.D. Cal.) (2026-02-17). Primary document: cand.uscourts.gov
- MDL No. 3166 (N.D. Cal.) (2026-04-01). Secondary report: torhoermanlaw.com
- MDL No. 3166 (N.D. Cal.) (2026-08-03). Secondary report: robertkinglawfirm.com
- California Court of Appeal (2026-08-28). Secondary report: torhoermanlaw.com
Litigation facts on this page come from the TortIntel litigation record and the documents linked above. Last checked against that record on 2026-10-24. If you see an error, tell us and we will correct it.